Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Designing Success

When it comes to Guest Services, "Defining Success" is not easy - ultimately, the guest makes the definition.

But you can influence and shape that definition - and that's where "Designing Success" comes in.

Earlier in the series I introduced the concept of "The Experience Blueprint". This powerful idea was introduced by Tim Brown, CEO of the world-renowned design firm IDEO in his latest book, "Change By Design." Brown wrote that:

Just as a product begins with an engineering blueprint and a building with an architectural blueprint, an experience blueprint provides the framework for working out the details of a human interaction.

And where does this framework come from? The secret is already on your team: Utilizing an experience blueprint creates a culture in which everyone can be a design thinker.

Another quote from Tim Brown: Design has the power to enrich our lives by engaging our emotions through image, form, texture, color, sound, and smell. The intrinsically human-centered nature of design thinking points to the next step: we can use our empathy and understanding of people to design experiences that create opportunities for active engagement and participation.

What are the guidelines for designing an experience blueprint?

A successful experience requires active guest participation

A guest experience that feels authentic, genuine, and compelling is likely to be delivered by a team operating within an experience culture themselves

Every touchpoint must be executed with thoughtfulness and precision

Are you ready to create an experience blueprint for Guest Services at your church?

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I've Moved!

After 700 posts here, I've moved over to 27gen.com for leadership topics and GuestExperienceDesign.com for Guest Experience topics. If you liked what you've read here, come and check out the new sites!

Bob

My Backstory

My passion is helping churches THRIVE by turning challenges into opportunities. I am a son, brother, husband, father, father-in-law, and GrandBob. The 27 years that separate each of these four generations provide a rich and continual influence on my life. My wife Anita is my best friend and partner in the 3 ring circus called our family. We have 4 children - two sons with families of their own: 3 grandchildren; a daughter in divinity school; and a son in culinary school. Life is always exciting - and I wouldn't have it any other way!